NJ: Initiative To Transform Lakewood Township Into a Thriving City

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January 09, 2025 | ט' טבת התשפ"ה

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Lakewood Township has grown exponentially in recent years, both in population and economic activity

Transforming Lakewood Township into a City: Why It Matters

Lakewood Township has grown exponentially in recent years, both in population and economic activity. With this rapid development, the current township structure faces significant challenges in delivering essential services, maintaining infrastructure, and planning for future growth. This petition aims to transform Lakewood into a city, which would bring numerous benefits to residents, businesses, and the overall community.

Key Benefits of Becoming a City
1. Improved Local Governance
Transitioning from a township to a city would provide Lakewood with a more streamlined and effective form of government. City governance often allows for better representation, more transparency, and greater accountability. This would enable faster decision-making and better responsiveness to the needs of the community.

2. Enhanced Public Services
As a city, Lakewood would have increased access to state and federal funding for essential services such as public safety, sanitation, road maintenance, and public transportation. This would result in a higher quality of life for residents through better infrastructure and amenities.

3. Stronger Economic Development
City status would likely attract more businesses and investors due to the improved infrastructure, better planning capabilities, and a more stable governance structure. This would lead to job creation, increased property values, and a more vibrant local economy.

4. Better Urban Planning
With the pressures of a growing population, Lakewood needs long-term planning for housing, traffic management, and green spaces. As a city, Lakewood would have more resources and authority to implement comprehensive urban planning strategies to manage growth effectively.

5. Local Autonomy
Currently, many decisions affecting Lakewood are influenced by county or state authorities. Achieving city status would grant Lakewood more autonomy over issues such as zoning, education, and development, empowering local leaders to prioritize the community’s unique needs.

Why Now?

Lakewood has reached a critical point in its development. The township structure, designed for smaller populations and lower-density areas, struggles to keep pace with the needs of a rapidly expanding community. Residents deserve a government structure capable of addressing current challenges and planning for a sustainable future. This petition reflects a collective desire for positive change and a brighter future for Lakewood.

Call to Action

We invite all residents, business owners, and stakeholders to join the movement by signing and sharing the petition. Together, we can take this important step toward transforming Lakewood into a thriving city that meets the needs of today while preparing for tomorrow.

#LakewoodDeservesBetter #CityStatusNow #TransformLakewood

The petition calls to merge Lakewood and the surrounding New Jersey townships which are located in Ocean County, including Toms River, Jackson, Brick and Manchester into one city.
To Sign The Petition: Click Here

Update: FrumNews has been informed by elected officials that Howell, NJ, is not considered to be included in this proposal—since Howell is part of Monmouth County while Lakewood/Jackson/Brick/Toms River/Manchester and nearby neighborhoods are all part of Ocean County, NJ. It’s simpler with less bureaucracy to merge townships which are already located in the same county into a city—than a town that’s under a different jurisdiction and county like Howell.